ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
Will bleach damage my nylon mooring lines?
Washing hasn't got them clean of green stuff.
Washing hasn't got them clean of green stuff.
Bleach and ropes
- Thread starter ghostlymoron
- Start date
sogood
Well-Known Member
When I was refurbing my Wellcraft, I removed the white nylon rope from the rubbing strake as it was green and mouldy from neglect. I soaked it for a day or two in a tub of 50/50 household bleach and water. It came out pretty well with no adverse effects and I think I could have used a stronger solution just as easily.
ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
Great. Where's the Brobat?
johnalison
Well-Known Member
The lazy ones among us use Patio Magic.
davidej
Well-Known Member
I think that is the better answer than an aggressive bleach.
Quandary
Well-Known Member
And it seems to have the other advantage that the mould does not return for years.
RupertW
Well-Known Member
I have found that out cover of braided lines disintegrated after washing with a light bleach solution - but that was when they were already so old and mouldy that it was either bleach or throw out.
VicS
Well-Known Member
On a scale of A to D where A is "excellent resistance" to chemical attack and D is "severely affected" the resistance of nylon to bleach is only C.
A quick rinse with dilted bleach will kill the algae but the green colour may not be instantly bleached. Likewise Patio magic etc will quickly kill the algae but the green colour will take a while to disappear.
One of the benefits of using PM etc is that the active ingredient remains active for some time another is of course that it does not harm the rope
ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
Our thick toilet bleach doesn't smell of chlorine but has a strong wiff of lemons so I suspect it's not a chlorine based product so may not deal with the algal growth. I'll give it a couple of days then see if I can find the patio magic. What's the active ingredient of it?
Spirit (of Glenans)
Well-Known Member
+1. But give it a little time before it shows the results.
Spirit (of Glenans)
Well-Known Member
Rope on a rubbing strake is a different proposition to rope for keeping your boat attached to the pontoon
savageseadog
Well-Known Member
A useful table of rope properties including chemical resistance: https://www.marlowropes.com/material-properties but doesn't include sodium hypochlorite
sarabande
Well-Known Member
Patio Magic is Benzalkonium chloride.
VicS
Well-Known Member
Patio Magic contains benzalkonium chloride. Between 5 and 15% according to the label
sogood
Well-Known Member
I don't doubt you. The rope on my rubbing strake is at least 12mm, white nylon. I just did a cosmetic clean up and so far, so good. I have a longer term plan to replace the entire rubbing strake with something beefier.Rope on a rubbing strake is a different proposition to rope for keeping your boat attached to the pontoon
Brent Swain
N/A
Acids tend to eat nylon, but not polyester. Alkalies tend to eat polyester, but not nylon. One way to determine which it is.
Dunno about much stronger solutions.
Dunno about much stronger solutions.
Momac
Well-Known Member
I don't think of it as being lazy but it is effective. I sprayed my canvas canopy and GRP side decks last autumn. Some stubborn algae on the canopy has gone and the canvas/grp has remained free of green all winter.
I did not spray the ropes and these have developed some green.
The only catch is it has to be applied on a dry day - while the surface is dry so the mixture dries off naturally. The effects are not instant but do seem to be long lasting.
thinwater
Well-Known Member
Yes, it absolutely will, you just won't see the harm. You know this in your heart. Expect to loose 5-10% every time you do this. Ask the rope maker. I did some testing in cooperation with New England/Teufelberger Ropes.
Soak with detergent, agitate, and be happy with what you get. Treating with a water repellent (Nix Wax) will delay the return. BAC will also help.
I once knew a rigger who swore his customers would rather throw away a line because it was dirty than because it was broken.
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BelleSerene
Well-Known Member
Yes it will, in any quantity.
First, Patio Magic solution. Let the ropes dry by themselves. Come back after a week as it takes some days for the stuff to kill the algae.
Use laundry detergent in normal laundry solution proportion. Washing machine works well but tie the ropes up first and maybe in an old pillow case as the knots they contrive are formidable. And give the machine an empty wash cycle of its own when you’ve finished.
There, new ropes.
edit: https://www.practical-sailor.com/blog/Quick-Tips-for-Cleaning-Rope-12008-1.html
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